The Spring Grove basketball boys are ready for a repeat, returning all but one player from last year’s 24-5 success. Four of the five losses came against state-ranked teams, including two state champions (Minnesota and Iowa.) Wade Grinde’s guys defeated all five larger-enrollment opponents, won the SEC East Division for the 11th time in 12 years and reached the section … [Read more...]
Lion boys wallop Wolverines, 75-27
The Spring Grove boys lifted 26 steals during a runaway 75-27 road win at Glenville-Emmons on Dec. 20. Jaxon Strinmoen was the chief thief with a career-high 8 steals; on offense, he scored 11 points and passed out 3 assists with no turnovers. Tysen Grinde had a game-high 19 points along with team-highs 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 thefts. Elijah Solum tossed in 18 points along … [Read more...]
Solum sinks 30 as Spring Grove secures season opener
Elijah Solum matched a career high with 30 points as the Spring Grove boys opened the 2023 basketball season with a 71-52 road win at Lanesboro on Dec. 19. Fast breaks and free throws were critical in the critical contest between rivals who finished as the top two teams in the SEC East Division last winter. It was the Lions’ 17th consecutive conference victory and their 19th … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Icy and fiery, a Christmas like no other
It was a Christmas never to be forgotten by those who experienced it or heard about it from older family members. The temperature was teens below zero, but stationed on every nearby roof to the southeast, people guarded against airborne embers. It was about 10:30 Friday night, December 19, 1924, when on his way home, Owen Onsgard smelled smoke. Several hours after the start of … [Read more...]
Spring Grove girls cannot keep up with Grand Meadow
Both the Spring Grove girls and Grand Meadow started slowly with turnovers and cold shooting. Both then began to take better care of the ball, but only Grand Meadow (3-0, 3-0 SEC) began to knock down shots and get to the free throw line. The Superlarks led by 12 points at halftime and would go on to win, 51-34, on Dec. 13 at Spring Grove (2-3, 1-3 SEC). Coming off last … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Backwards races and barrel races – on ice
Fourth of a winter series A century ago, young and somewhat older residents of southeast Minnesota did not always pass personal time indoors during long winters. When work was completed, recreation thrived outdoors in January as well as in July. In the first half of the 1900s, ice skating was a given on a large lake in Hokah, the Big Slough in Houston, the Mississippi River … [Read more...]
Lions overtaken in final half-minute of state title game, 28-25
Spring Grove scored early and often and never trailed Mountain Iron-Buhl until the final 25 seconds of the 9-man state championship football game on Dec. 3 at U. S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Ultimately, the 28-25 Ranger win, was decided by extra points with the Lions going 1 for 4 and MIB 2 for 4. When state-ranked No. 3 Spring Grove soared out to a 19-0 first quarter lead, … [Read more...]
Peering at the Past Fun on ice with clubs and a flaming missile
Third of a winter series There was plenty of action and competition in the 1870s and 1880s, even before the advent of school-sponsored sports. W. J. Langen (1869-1960) like many other boys, ice skated near Hokah on a 30-acre lake, which at the slightest spell of cold weather, would provide fine skating ice. Boys would gather evenings, often for a game of “shinny.” A block of … [Read more...]
Spring Grove’s Morken honored by coaching peers
Spring Grove volleyball coach Kelsey Morken was named by her fellow coaches as the Section 1A Volleyball Coach of the Year for 2022. Back in 2009, she was the Section Assistant Coach of the Year while in the program at Mabel-Canton. Her most recent 2022 Lions won a school-record 28 matches and reached the section semi-finals for a second straight season, falling to the top seed … [Read more...]
Caledonia/SG/Houston Gymnastics Preview
ouston gymnastics team returns five letter winners from last winter’s squad which was 1-4 in duals and 7-19 including tournament standings. The Warriors placed fourth (among six) at the conference meet and sixth (among eight) at section. There was late momentum with the Cal/SG/Hou team score improving in each of the final six meets. Leadership will come from three seniors: … [Read more...]